Spike Lee’s ‘BlacKkKlansman’ Is Coming to Theaters in August

Shortly after the premiere of Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It series, we’re getting more Spike Lee this year. His new film BlacKkKlansman, the true story of a black police officer who infiltrates the Klan in Colorado Springs and stops it from taking over the city, will hit theaters in August.

Deadline reports that BlacKkKlansman will open August 10, which has led some to speculate that it could have its world premiere at Cannes next month, though we won’t know for certain until the festival releases its lineup. BlacKkKlansman is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, Colorado Springs’ first ever black police officer, and his partner Flip Zimmerman, who infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan at its highest levels to prevent it from taking over their city. Stallworth will be played by John David Washington, and his partner Zimmerman will be payed by Adam Driver. Laura Harrier and Topher Grace also star. Jordan Peele and Jason Blum are producing.

The timing of BlacKkKlansman’s release coincides with the one year anniversary of the Charlottesville white supremacist Unite the Right rally, which took place on August 12, 2017. The rally was ostensibly in protest of the removal of Confederate war monuments, but quickly turned violent when protesters and counter protesters clashed. Focus Features is planning a “moderate release” for BlacKkKlansman with further expansion later on.